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HISTORY 



OF THE 



TOWN OF SHREWSBURY, 



FURNISHED FOR THE 



WORCESTER MAGAZINE 



AND 



iii§^®mi©Am ¥®wmirAm. 



BY ANDHEW H. UTARD, ESQ. 



WORCESTER: 

PRINTED BY ROGERS & GRIFFIN. 
1826. 




F1 



''/ 1 b 



To the Jnkabiiants of the town of Shrewsbury, this History, ^-c. 
of their town, from its origin to the present date, is respectfully 
dedicated by their fellow townsman. THE AUTHOR. 



In Kxchange 
Amer. Ant. 3oo» 

25 y 190^ 



PREFACE. 



To collect and embody the principal interesting events, with the 
dates of their occurrence, that have transpired in a town in the 
course of a whole century, and such other matter as will be useful 
to be known, is a task, that none are aware of, but those who have 
undertaken it. A wish to aid the praiseworthy purpose, undertaken 
by two or three gentlemen, to furnish for the Press a history of 
each of the towns in the County of Worcester, has induced me to 
furnish that of Shrewsbury. 

There are but few, if any, who would not like to know what 
has been in their native town — changes are taking place every 
year, and many interesting circumstances and important transactions 
are, in a few years after they happen, indistinctly remembered, and 
in a few more, wholly forgotton. 

The young learn from the aged many interesting things that 
belonged to times long gone by — these cannot be correctly trans- 
mitted, without being made matter of record. Many of the present 
day, and after a lapse of a few more years, all then on the stage, 
will find accounts of some things herein, of which, but for a work 
like this, they would have been as unknowing, as they themselves 
were once unknown. 

This work was therefore undertaken, with a belief, that it 
would not only be perused with interest at the present day, and 
prove instructive to the rising generation, but serve as a beginning 
of what, at some future day, will be an extended and more inter- 
esting history of the town — a foundation, on which, it is hoped, 
some one will hereafter, in due time, and with the addition of new 
materials, erect a superstructure, in which the reader will he en- 
tertained with things old and new. 



iV PREFACE. 

That this History is perfect in every particular is not pretend- 
ed — perfection belongs no more to the works, than to the nature of 
man — it was intended to be correct; and it is believed it is so — 
as it was written, not with a view to acquire the reputation of an 
author by making a book, but solely with a view to communicate 
useful and interesting information, it is hoped, it will not be read 
with a critic's eye — and as the motive for making it public is laud- 
able, it is hoped, that this " first born" will, on going into the 
world unprotected, find none but friends, and nothing but kind treat- 
ment. 

ANDREW H. WARD. 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY* 



SITUATION A\D BOUNDARIES, LENGTH OF LINES AND THEIR COURSES. 

This town is situated E. N. E. from Worcester, 5^ miles from 
the Court House, and 37 miles from Boston by the way of the old 
post road. It is a post town, and the tenth in age, twentieth in popu- 
lation, and eighteenth in valuation in the County of Worcester ;* and 
is bounded, beginning at the N. W. corner, on West Boylston, one 
hundred and two rod?, and by Boylston fifteen hundred and seventy 
rods and an half on the north, ten hundred and seventy two rods 
by Northborough and seven hundred and seventy rods by West- 
borough on the east, fourteen hundred and sixty four rods and an 
half by Grafton on the south, and nineteen hundred and fourteea 
rods by Worcester on the west. 

The township of Shrewsbury was granted to certain persons, 
Nov. 2, 1717, most of whom belonged to Marlborough, and was 
originally laid out much larger than it now is. It began to be set- 
tled in 1717, by a few people from Marlborough, though not so soob 
as a few towns in its vicinity: indeed, at that time, people not 
deeming it a good tract of land, passed through and took up their 
residence elsewhere. Little other use was made of it, than to pass 
over it in pursuit of a settlement in some supposed better place, 
while repeated and destructive fires, set by people in the adjacent 
towns, had consumed vast tracts of wood and timber, and even the 
very soil itself, in some places to the hard pan, for many acres. 

It is not known that the Indians ever disturbed the settlement 
of this town ; there being no accounts on record, or otherwise, of 
their having destroyed the lives or property of their more civiliz- 

* According to the census of 1820, and its proportion of 75,000 dwllftrs, 
being the State tax of Feb 21, 1824. 

1 



2 HISTORY OF SimEWSBtlVY. 

ed, but encroaching neighbors in this quarter ; or that any fear was 
ever here entertained on account of them. They had some years 
before, in that retreat, which they have ever since continued, and 
which has been as rapidly followed by the white men, retired to a 
distance too great to alarm the first settlers of Shrewsbury. It 
may seem remarkable, but it is believed, that the name of Indian 
is not to be found on the records of the town. 

The town at tirst contained all the lands lying between the orig- 
inal grant of Lancaster on the north, Marlborough on the east, Sut- 
ton on the south, and Worcester on the west. So rapid was the in- 
crease of the population, that the inhabitants of the town, in ten 
years from the commencement of its settlement, presented the fol- 
lowing petition to be incorporated into a town. 

"To the Hon. William Dummer, Esq. the Lieut. Governor and 
commander in chief, the Honorable the Council, and the Honorable 
House of Representatives of His Majesty's Province of the Massa- 
chusetts Bay, in New England, in General Court assembled, Nov. 
22, 1727. 

" The petition of the inhabitants of Shrewsbury, in the County of 
Middlesex, humbly sheweth : that your petitioners were by this 
Great and Honorable Court erected into a township, and not having 
granted unto them the immunities and privileges of other towns 
within this Province, were put under the care of a committee, 
which committee carried on that work to great satisfaction, but 
have now declined acting; so that your petitioners are under great 
difficulties as to paying their Minister and raising the public taxes ; 
and the Province Treasurer has issued forth his warrant directing 
the assessing of the inhabitants of the town of Shrewsbury their 
Province tax for this year : And for as much as your petitioners 
have no Selectmen or Assessors, nor are empowered to choose 
town officers, whereby many and great inconveniences do arise ; 
therefore, your petitioners most humbly pray your Honors consider- 
ation of the premises, and that your Honors would be pleased to em- 
power the town of Shrewsbury to use and exercise the same immu- 
nities and privileges as other towns within this Province hold and en- 
joy, and that a day may be assigned for the choice of town officers 
for the year current, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall 
eyer pray, &,c." 

JOHN KEYES, } r . , ,^ ^ 
DANIEL HOWE,(ff^f'«'-^"/ 
NAHUM WARD, ) "'^ '"*""• 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 6 

The foregoing petition having been presented, was acted upon 
as follows : 

"In the House of Representatives, Dec. 14, 1727. Read 
and ordered, that the prayer of the petition be granted and 
that the said town of Shrewsbury is accordingly endowed with equal 
power, privileges, and immunities, with any other town in this 
Province; and that Capt. John Keyes, a principal inhabitant in the 
said town, be empowered and directed to notify and summon the 
inhabitants duly qualified for voters, to meet and assemble for the 
choosing of town officers, to stand until the next annual election ac- 
cording to law. Sent up for concurrence. 

Wm. Dudley, Speaker. 

In Council, Dec. 15, 1727, read a first and second time and pas- 
sed in concurrence. J. Willakd, Sec'y. 

Consented to, Wm. Dummer. 

The first town meeting held here was on the 29th day oi Dec. 
1727. Shrewsbury originally included most of what is now Boyls- 
fon, most of West Boylston, a small portion of Sterling, Westbo- 
rough and Grafton. In 1741, four petitioners, viz. Ebenezer Cut- 
ler, Obediah Newton, Noah Brooks and David Read, with their 
farms, were taken from the town of Shrewsbury, and annexed to 
the town of Grafton; in 1752, William Whitney, Zachariah Eager, 
Jonathan Foster, Zachariah Harvey, Edward Newton, Samuel New- 
ton, Ezekiel Newton and Daniel Wheelock, with others, at their 
request : and all the lands in the then north part of the town, lying 
on the north side of Quinepoxet river, and between the towns of 
Lancaster and Holden, known by the name of the Leo-, were voted 
off by the town, and, in 1768, annexed to Lancaster; in 1762, Wil- 
liam Nurse and others, living in the southeasterly part of the town, 
and so much of that part of the town, usually called the Shoe (some- 
times Nurse's corner) were annexed to Westborough. March 1, 
1786, the north part of the town, then constituting the 2d Parish, 
was incorporated into a town by the name of Boylston : and in 
March, 1793, Elijah Whitney and his farm were taken from this 
town and set to Westborough. Having thus been pared and clip- 
ped, always giving and eventually receiving nothing, the territory 
of the town has, since that time, remained entire, yet not without 
attempts to dismember some part of it.* 

In 1795, Silas Keyes, known as a skilful and correct surveyor, 

with a view, among other things, to ascertain the contents of the 

* There has been another amputation since the above was written. Tar- 
rant Merriam, with about 186 acres of land, has been taken irom this town 
and annexed to Grafton. 



4 HISTORY OP SHREWSBURY. 

town, look a survey of its limits, which it may not be amiss to make 
matter of public record. It was found on a loose paper, and is as 
follows : "The following are the limits of the town of Shrewsbu- 
ry, as taken by Silas Keyes, in the year 1795, begining at the south 
west corner of Boylston, (now West Boylston) and runs east, nine de- 
grees north, ten rods to road ; thence east, nine degrees noi'th, seven 
and an half rods ; thence north, six degrees east, thirty nine rods ; 
thence east, thirteen degrees south, one hundred and sixty rods to 
county road ; thence same course fifteen rods to a heap of stones ; 
theace east, nineteen degrees north, two hundred and seventy rods 
to do.; thence south, fifteen degrees west, thirty five rods to do.; 
thence east, eleven degrees forty one minutes north, one hundred 
and sixty six rods to do. ; thence north, twenty six degrees east^ 
seventy four rods to do. ; thence east nineteen and a half degrees 
north, five hundred and fifty nine rods to a stake and stones ; thence 
south, forty four degrees east, sixty seven rods to a heap of stones ; 
thence west, thirty degrees south, forty three rods to rock and 
stones ; thence south, three degrees west, thirty seven rods to stake 
and stones ; thence east, twelve degrees north, one hundred and elev- 
en rods to a heap do. ; thence south, seven and a half degrees west 
forty four rods to do. ; thence east, thirty five degrees south, sixty 
rods to north east corner ; thence south, sixteen degrees west, one 
hundred forty nine rods to heap stones; thence south, twenty four 
degrees east, one hundred and eighty two rods to great rock ; 
thence south, twenty one degrees east, one hundred and fifty rods 
to heap stones ; thence south, one degree east, twenty rods to 
great road; thence same course three hundred and seventeen rods 
to an oak ; thence south, twenty eight degrees thirty five minutes 
east, one hundred and ninetj' four rods to Westborough corner . 
thence same course three hundred and fourteen rods to heap of 
stones ; thence west, twenty eight degrees forty minutes south, two 
hundred and twenty six rods to do. ; thence south forty two degrees 
fifteen minutes west, sixty seven rods to a maple ; thence south 
thirty five degrees west, one hundred and twelve rods to heap 
stones ; thence south thirty three degrees thirty minutes east, fifty 
one rods to an oak at Grafton corner ; thence west, thirty three de- 
grees south, one hundred two and a half rods to heap stones ; 
thence west, forty five degrees south, twenty three rods to white 
oak ; thence west, twenty four degrees north, six rods to heap 
stones ; thence north, seventeen degrees west, thirty four and an 
half rods to do. ; thence west, twenty three degrees south, thirty 



HISTORY or SHREWSBURY. O 

four rods to do. ; thence south, twenty six degrees west, forty one 
and an half rods to do. ; thence west, thirty four degrees north, 
forty five rods to do. ; thence north, six and a half degrees west, 
seventy three and an half rods to white oak j thence west, thirteen 
degrees south seventy three and an half rods to heap stones • 
thence south, eighteen degrees east, thirty four rods to an oak and 
stones; thence west, twelve degrees south, seventy nine rods to 
heap stones ; thence south, six degrees west, forty two rods to do. ; 
thence west, four degrees north, sixty eight rods to pitch pine ; 
thence north, two degrees west, twenty six and an half rods to a 
walnut tree ; thence west, four degrees north, twenty rods to an 
oak at Bummet meadow ; thence south, nine degrees west, forty 
six rods by meadovv ; thence south, twenty eight degrees east, 
twenty six rods to stake in do. ; thence south, twenty four degrees 
west, twenty two rods to poplar stump ; thence south, six degrees 
west, thirty three and an half rods to an oak by county road ; thence 
west, four degrees north, twenty nine rods to heap stones ; thence 
west, thirty nine degrees south, forty five and an half rods to do. ; 
thence south, forty four degrees west, forty eight rods to do. ; 
thence west, five degrees south, one hundred and thirty six rods to 
white oak; thence north, thirty degrees west, eighty five rods to 
county road; thence east, twenty seven degrees north, nineteen 
and an half rods by said road ; thence north, four degrees west, 
fourteen rods to heap stones ; thence west seven degrees north, fifty 
five rods to do. ; thence south, five degrees east, sixty rods to do. ; 
thence west, fourteen degrees south, one hundred and eighteen 
rods to while oak ; thence south, five degrees east, twenty four 
rods to maple tree at the river ; thence angling up said river, one 
hundred eighty seven rods to a creek that connects Flint's pond and 
said river ; thence west, three degrees south, forty rods to Flint's 
pond; thence west, forty degrees south, fifty four rods by said 
pond; thence west fifteen degrees north, twenty two rods; thence 
west, eight degrees north, forty rods; thence north, forty degrees 
west, twenty eight rods to half moon pond ; thence west, seven de- 
grees north, one hundred rods to a heap stones ; thence north, 
eleven degrees weet, two hundred sixty nine rods to a chesnut tree 
on the west side long pond; thence north, two degrees west, nine 
hundred and ten rods to a grey oak on the west side and near the 
head of long pond ; thence north, twenty degrees west, twenty two 
rods to great road ; thence same course one hundred and fifty two 
rods to Boylston road ; thence same course one hundred and ninety 
rods to where it began." 



6 HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

An error occurred in making (he plan of the town of Boylston, 
when set off from Shrewsbury, and was copied into the Act incor- 
porating that town. The plan commences at Worcester line 
(West Bojlston having since been set ofif from Boylston) and, after 
describing two short courses, arrives at the north line of Nathaniel 
Heywood's farm ; then it is marked on the plan east, thirteen and 
one quarter degrees north, one hundred and seventy eight rods, in- 
stead of north, thirteen and one quarter degrees east, one hundred 
and seventy eight rods, as the line should be ; making a difference 
of twenty six and one half degrees, and, being on a long line and 
near the beginning of the plan, all the after courses are removed 
seventy nine rods northward from what was intended — As this er- 
ror is suffered to continue without any measures beiiig taken to 
have it corrected, it will not be matter of surprise, if, at some fu- 
ture day, it should give rise to some legal contro\ersy ; more par- 
ticularly, as there are several families now within the limits of 
Shrewsbury, whom, with their lands, it was intended to have set off 
with Boylston ; who are now taxed and do duty and enjoy previieg- 
es (here, yet are not within the limits or jurisdiction of that town. 

Cultivation, &,c. — This town presents to <he eye an uneven 
surlace, variegated with hills and vallies. A range of high land, 
extending from north to south, passes through the middle of the 
town. The numerous swells and tracts of rolling land, which are, 
most of them, in a good state of cultivation, are to be seen in all di- 
rections from the middle of the town and s?rve to relieve the eye 
from that sameness, which some towns afford, when taking a land- 
scape view of them. There is more wood, it is generally suppos- 
ed, glowing here now, than there was fifty years ago; it consists 
of oak of the various kinds, walnut and chesnut on the high grounds ; 
and in the low lands, maple, ash, birch &c. There is but little pine 
in the town. There are some indications of coal, as far east as the 
middle of the town, of the same nature as the Worcester coal, but 
Bot so near the surface. No minerals are known to exist here, at 
least not sufficient to induce people to explore by day and watch 
by night, as they have done in some places, for hidden treasures. 
Yet, as a great proportion of (he inhabitants are farmers, they find 
their treasure by digging, but not more than furrow deep. They 
have made great improvement in the appearance of their farms, 
stocks of cattle and swine for a few years past ; to which they have 
been in no small degree excited by the influence of agricultural 
societies and publications on agricultural subjects. An agricultural 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 7 

society, composed of individuals associated from the towns of 
Shrewsbury, Boylston, Northborough and Westborough, was form- 
ed here in 1811, and continued its enquiries, experiments and pur- 
suits, not merely to the advantage of those belonging to it, but to 
others, till some time after the formation of the Worcester Agri- 
cultural Society; when its members, dissolving their connexion, 
most of them became members of that society. 

Clay is found here suitable for making bricks, and probably 
there are considerable beds of it — but at present they are but little 
explored and little use is made of it. The soil, though naturally 
rough and hard to subdue, is very strong, and never fails to yield 
an equivalent to the industrious husbandman for the labor he be- 
stows upon it. A good proportion of the fences are stone walls ; 
which it has been the practice of late to set in trenches, whereby 
much loam and vegetable earth, sufficient to pay for digging the 
trench, are procured and carried upon low mowing grounds or into 
yards for manure. And this, though an ample compensation for 
the labor it requires, is but a small part of the benefit arising from 
this practice. The trench furnishes a place of deposit for multi- 
tudes of small cobble-stones, troublesome in the iield, but here put 
out of the way, making a sure and stable foundation for the walls, 
which are never thrown down by the frost. Generally the trench 
is not dug so wide as it should be; bushes and briars are apt to 
spring up and flourish by the sides of walls ; and though a good 
husbandman will cut them down, yet they are less likely to grow, 
and if they do, they are easier removed, root and branch, when 
the trenches are made several inches wider than the walls stand. 
It is remarkable to observe here, and it may be seen in many towns 
in this vicinity, the astonishing difference between the present and 
former times in making manure. Scarcely a low place can be 
found by the road side, that is not occupied with compost which 
with the wash of the road, that incorporates itself with it, is in a 
year or two carried to the fields and its place supplied with new 
materials. 

But little attention is paid to the cultivation of flax. Grains of 
all kinds yield abundant crops, while the white honey suckle of 
the pastures furnishes good keeping for dairy cows and early beef 
Plaister of Paris has been used here with success, and though most 
so on pasture land, yet not without effect on mowings and tillage 
land. The amount of hay cut in this town is large, and much of it 
of good quality ; it has become a staple article, and is carried to 
Boston in large quantities, and finds a ready market. 



8 mSlORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

Ponds and Streams. — Though there are no considerable streams 
Id this town, it suffers very little in a dry season. It is supplied 
with a sufficiency of water, in small rivulets, to answer the common 
purposes of the inhabitants. The largest stream is that which 
comes from Sewall's Pond, in the south west part of Boylston, and 
running southerly about a mile and an half falls into Long Pond, 
where, and at the head of which, passes the old Post road to Wor- 
cester. This pond was called by the natives Quinsigamond Pond, 
but is now better known by the name of Long Pond ; it lies partly 
in Shrewsbury and whether the residue is in Shrewsbury or Wor- 
cester, will probably be a subject of future investigation. Worces- 
ter was laid out in 1668, to be bounded Easterly on Q,uinsigamond 
Pond, and when Shrewsbury was laid out in 1717, it was bounded 
by Worcester on the west. 

As Keyes' survey does not include all of the Pond in this town (why 
be departed from the line as originally established between Shrews- 
bury and Worcester is not known) it would seem, if he is correct, 
that a part of it belongs (and there are no islands in that part) 
to neither town. Long Pond extends north and south ; and is a 
very large body of water, nearly in the form of a crescent, and is 
about four miles in length on the western shore ; yet, on a straight 
line, as measured on the ice, it is but a little more than three 
miles ; its width varies from one hundred rods to three fourths of a 
mile ; it is the largest body of water in the county and deserves 
rather the name of a Lake, than a Pond. Much of the wood, 
which formerly grew on either shore, has been cut off, and the view 
of its waters become more extensive. It is well supplied with the 
usual kinds of tish, that are to be found in the interior Ponds ; and, 
from the depth, as well as extent of its waters, is a suitable place 
to try the experiments, said to have been successfully made in En- 
gland, of propagating in fresh water those noble fish, the cod, 
mackerel, haddock, and perhaps the halibut ! lor which, we, as yet, 
have to depend wholly on the ocean. That such an undertaking 
would not succeed, we ought not to believe, merely because no one 
has yet been liberal and patriotic enough to exile some of the fin- 
ny tribes from their great and briny domain in a living state to this 
interior sea, this water house of correction, if you please, there to 
be confined to hard labor for life ! And which, if it did not improve 
their morals^ would at least without the means of doing harm, give 
them a fresh opportunity of improving those talents, which nature 
has given them; and result beyond all doubt in the multiplication 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. o 

of their numbers to the great comfort and well being of those of 
the human family, who live in the vicinity ! There is no doubt it 
would succeed; and if he, who makes two blades of grass grow, 
where but one grew before, is vvorth more to mankind, than the 
whole race of politicians put together, the man, who should eifect 
this, would he held in estimation far exceeding the united regard 
entertained for all the grass growers in the country. He would, 
in ail probability, live to see the time, when the consequences of 
his benevolent undertaking would be in every man's mouthy and 
every man's mouth full of the consequences : while thousands, en- 
joying the sport of taking and feasting on the luxuries of the Pond, 
would hand down his name to posterity, as that of a public bene- 
factor. Then there would be also the satisfaction, and it would be 
no small one, of knowing, that while gormandizing, some, even 
while under the greatest excitement, should they have a disposi- 
tion to find fault with the times, censure their neighbors, speak 
evil of their rulers, slander their best friends, or curse their enemies, 
would have their mouths stopped for a while by the bountiful pro- 
ductions of the pond : and even the Legislature have some occa- 
sional respites from the anathemas, so generally and plentifully be- 
stowed upon them, for their over much legislation on the subject of 
the preservation of small fish, and th ereby fishing money from the 
pockets of their constituents. Instead of so much legislation for 
the preservation of small fish in sinall streams, it would better ac- 
cord with the spirit of the times, in this age of internal improve- 
ment, to encourage by Statute, the large fish of the ocean to emi- 
grate to our large inland ponds : should they decline emigrating, com- 
pulsory process, authorized and encouraged by law, would effect it. 
The immense advantages that would arise from it, cannot be fore- 
seen, if it were only, as farmers say, from the benefit, that might 
be derived from crossing the breed ! 

There are several brooks, which empty their waters into this 
pond. It is clustered with no less than twelve islands of various 
sizes. The first is Ram Island, at the west end of the Floating 
Bridge ; it contains about two acres, and is mostly covered with 
wood. Little Pine Island, the second, is one and an half mile down 
the pond, and is about 40 rods from the western shore; it contains 
half an acre, principally covered with small pines. The third is 
three rods south of the last, of one fourth of an acre, covered with 
fruitful grape vines, and called Grape Island. The fourth is 

VOL. H. 2 



10 iiisTony OF Shrewsbury. 

Grass Island, of one eighth of an acre, mowed sometimes, and is 
twenty rods from Grape Island, and nearer the middle of the pond. 
Bowman's Island is the fifth, covered with wood, and lies southeast 
twelve rods from Grass Island, and contains three acres. The sixth 
is Bayberry Island, near the west shore, of about two acres. The 
seventh, is Sherman's Island, of one and a half acre, near the east 
shore, and covered with wood. Nearly south, and about thirty 
five rods is the eighth, called Grass Island, of one eighth of an acre 
and has been mowed. The ninth is called Shoe-make Island of 
one and an half acre, and is twenty five rods south of Bayberry Isl- 
and. The tenth is Sharp Pine Island, of half an acre, and twenty 
live rods south of Shoe-make Island. The eleventh is a small Grass 
Island, half a mile south of Sharp Pine Island, of one eighth of an 
acre, and twenty rods from the south west corner of the pond. 
The twelfth is called Stratton's Island, and contains one hundred 
and fifty acres, principally under cultivation, and has several fami- 
lies living upon it. 

Some of the other Islands are more or less cultivated, and are 
known by different names. 

Some idea of the boldness of the shores, the depth of the water 
and unevenness of the bottom of the pond, may be formed by view- 
ing the land on its borders and adjacent to it. So large a bod}' of 
water was not destined to lie always dormant and unimproved. 
This pond, and the others connected with it, at its south end, unite 
in one outlet, which, passing in a southeasterly direction, enters 
the town of Grafton, and becomes a principal tributary to Black- 
stone River, upon which a Canal is now constructing to Providence. 
This pond rises and falls, according as there are heavy rains and 
sudden thaws in the spring, or dry seasons, about two feet; though 
it has been known to vary considerably more. It was in contem- 
plation many years ago, to construct a Canal from Providence to 
unite with the waters of this pond, but the death of its principal 
projector caused it to be abandoned. The subject has been again 
called up, and the work is progressing and excavations making to 
carry it into effect; and the time is not fur distant, when this body 
of water will contribute wonderfully to the growth and prosperity 
of the neighboring villages and towns, and even to the more remote 
settlements. 

Stratton Island is bounded on the west and north by Long Pond, 
oa the east by Round Pond, south by Flint's Pond, and south west 



HISTORY OP SHREWSBURY. 1 1 

by Half Moon Pond ; all of which communicate with each other 
The communication of the waters on the southwesterly part of the 
Island, between Half Moon and Flint's pond has been stopped by 
means of a gravel causeway having been constructed there. The 
outlet from Long Pond, is into Round Pond, and is at the northeast 
corner of the Island; it is very narrow, and by means of a short 
bridge, the Island and the main land are connected. A dam was 
erected here about four years ago, at a trifling expense with a small 
flume and gate ; by means of which, the water was raised in the 
pood several feet ; yet, on account of its steep banks, it did not over- 
flow so much land as might naturally have been expected. It is 
now in contemplation by means of a dam at this place, to raise the 
water still higher, (from four to nine feet,) for the purpose of pro- 
curing and retaining a head of water sufficient for the use of mills 
&,c. situated below, and manufacturing establishments about to be 
erected there. 

There is but one other pond in Shrewsbury, and that is called 
Jordan Pond, lying about midway of the length of Long Pond and 
about half a mile east of it. Its waters, at some seasons in the 
year, empty into Long Pond. On the stream that runs from Sew- 
all's Pond into Long Pond, there is a grist mill and a saw mill : 
there is also a stream on which are two saw mills and a grist mill, 
that rises in the north west part of the town, and, running souther- 
ly, crosses the old post road about a mile east of the head of Long 
Pond and empties into it about ten rods north of where the Wor- 
cester Turnpike crosses the Pond. 

Some small brooks, rising in the southerly part of Boylston, and 
northerly part of Shrewsbury, and running southerly and easterly, 
form a stream on which there is a saw mill and grist mill ; thence 
running northeasterly passes through the south east corner of Boyls- 
ton ; then it turns southerly, and runs into Northborough and through 
cold harbour meadows into the river Assabet. A small stream, ris- 
ing principally from springs a little south of the Congregational 
Meeting House, and running easterly and then northeasterly, has 
two grist mills thereon and comes to the side of the post road in 
the east part of the town, furnishing a convenient watering place 
for travellers and teamsters: here it is joined by two small rivulets, 
that come in from the north, when it takes a southeast direction 
and falls into the Assabet in the southwesterly part of Northbo- 
rough. Still farther south are springes, that give rise to a stream, 



12 HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

that runs southerly and has a grist mill and saw mill thereon, and 
continuing in the same direction, takes, with other waters, the 
name of Bummet Brook, and passes into Grafton : thence by the 
way of the Blackstone to the sea below Rhode Island. 

Most of the waters of this town go that way to the sea, while a 
small portion, those that fall into the Assabet, go into the Merri- 
mac. 

There are in this town six grist mills, and five saw mills ; yet, 
in dry seasons, some of the inhabitants are under the necessity of 
resorting to the mills in the neighboring towns, principally Boyls- 
ton and Grafton, for grinding. 

Highlands. — The greater part of this town is high land : it 
consists rather of gradual and large extensive swells, than steep 
and high hills. There are none of them inaccessible to teams, or 
in an uncultivated state. Sewall's hill, however, in the northwest 
part of the town is the most so, and is considerable rocky. The 
land falls but very little to the north, while to the south, the de- 
scent is long and gradual. To the east, there is a descent of more 
than two miles, extending into Northborough ; on the west, the 
descent is moderate for about half a mile over Rocky Plain, so cal- 
led, when it becomes more steep, till it reaches the flat land, that 
extends nearly to the head of Long Pond ; beyond which the land 
immediately rises to a considerable height ; from the top of which 
it is about thirty rods to Worcester line. 

One of these swells received from the proprietors, at the first 
settlement of the town, by way of distinction, the name of Meeting 
House Hill, and is about half a mile north of where the Congrega- 
tional Meeting House now stands. About half a mile east of north 
of this swell is another, called Rawson Hill ; while to the south- 
east, something more than a mile, is another, called Sounding Hill ; 
over the south part of which passes the Worcester Turnpike ; from 
this, a short distance northerly, is another, called Goulding Hill. 
Besides these, there are several others. The soil of them is ex- 
cellent and most of them are in a high state of cultivation. Raw- 
son Hill is the highest land in town ; being about thirty feet high- 
er than Meeting House Hill, and sixty higher than Mill Stone Hill 
in Worcester, and as high as the ground on which Princeton Meet- 
ing House stands. 

Roads, &.c. — This town is proverbial for its good roads. Great 
attention is paid to them. There are two large roads passing 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 13 

through the town east and ^est : the north one is the old post road 
from Boston to Worcester ; which, passing through the thickest set- 
tled part of the town and over the head of Long Pond, forms a 
junction with the other, which is the Worceeter Turnpike, near 
the Gaol in Worcester. This road was laid out as a county road, 
at, or hefore the settlement of the town, and while it formed a part 
of the county of Middlesex. It is on the records of that county, 
but not on the town record, or that of the county of Worcester. It 
was laid out four rods wide, without any particular bounds or cours- 
es, and is 1510 rods in length, in Shrewsbury. The act, chartering 
the Worcester Turnpike Corporation, was passed June 10th, 1808 ; 
and that road soon after made ; its length in Shrewsbury is 1350 
rods. It runs nearly parallel with the post road, varying from one 
and an half to two miles from it. It is four rods wide and rather 
hilly through most of the town. It crosses Long Pond, about two 
miles south of the head of it, by means of a floating bridge, being 
the third bridge, that has been thrown over the pond at this place, 
for the purpose of crossing it. The first was a floating bridge, and 
cost about ^9000. It consisted of two or three tiers of round tim- 
bers laid lengthways and then crossways, and then overlaid with a 
course of hewn timber, covered with plank, and fastened to large 
abutments at the shores. This bridge soon proved to be weak and 
unsafe, and after a few years was succeeded by another of the same 
materials, and cost ^13,000. It was constructed by sinking nine 
piers ; the centre one of these was sixty feet by sixty ; the others 
sixty by thirty, placed in aline about thirty feet apart. The piers 
were constructed separately, and designed to rest on the bottom of 
the pond : this was done, by laying the course, then lapping and 
building after the manner of a cob house, and pinning where the 
timbers lapped and crossed ; by building in this manner, as the 
weight increased, the frames settled and the work continued, till the 
frame of each pier found a resting place at the bottom, reaching and 
remaining considerably above the water ; towards the top, the piers 
Avere connected to each other by timbers, and upon the top even 
overlaid with them ; over the whole was laid a quantity of grav- 
el. But on account of the mud in some places, and gravel in others, 
at the bottom of the pond, some of the piers continued to settle 
and others remained stationary. The four eastern piers, as they 
settled, leaned to the south. It was endeavored to keep the sur- 
face level by putting on gravel, which probably hastened its de- 
struction ; for, by increasing the incumbent weight, the piers (ma- 



14 HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

ny of Iheir timbers having started from their fastenings) so far lost 
their perpendicularity, that in the morning of the 19th Sept. 1817, 
near the time of its completion, and while the workmen were most 
of them near by, at breakfast, the bridge separated near the center, 
and the east half turned over into the pond to the south, and the 
other half, breaking up, tumbled in, pier after pier, in broken mas- 
ses, towards the middle of the pond. Fortunately, no lives were lost, 
though some were in imminent danger. As the pond varied from 
fifty to seventy feet in depth at this place, (and in others was more 
than one hundred) it had taken no less than fifty four thousand feet 
of timber to construct this bridge ; most of which, upon turning 
over, separated, and came to the surface in single sticks and large 
blocks pinned together, presenting such a wreck of materials as 
perhaps was never seen before on any inland waters in this coun- 
try. The next winter, the present bridge was built upon the ice 
at the west side of the Pond, mostly of hewn white pine timber, at 
an expense of ^6,000, and in the spring following swung round to 
its place; and to this day well answers the purpose for which it 
was designed ; it is five hundred and twenty five feet long and 
thirty wide. 

The Holden and Rutland Turnpike, four rods wide, is 400 rods 
in length in Shrewsbury, and ends upon enter'iug the old Post road 
about half a mile east of the head of Long Pond, There is a small 
piece of County road, three rods wide, and 200 in length, passing 
in a northeasterly direction from Worcester line, near the Poor 
house of that town, to Boylston. In the south part of the town, 
there is a County road three rods wide, and two hundred and fifty 
in length, leading from the Gore near Worcester, in an easterly di- 
rection, and crossing the town road leading to Grafton ; on the 
south of which commences, and runs south, another County road, 
leading to the middle of the town of Grafton, three rods wide, 
and one hundred and eighteen in length in Shrewsbury. All the 
other roads in this town are town roads, and are thirty-seven in 
number. They were surveyed, their courses taken, and bounds es- 
tablished, the roads numbered and accepted by the town, and re- 
corded at full length on the town records in the year 1805; except 
the seven last, which have since been laid out, numbered, accept- 
ed and recorded in like manner as the first. There are also a few 
bridle ways. With some trifling alterations, the courses of the 
roads remain as in 1805. 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 



15 



The width and length of each road and quantity of land occupi- 
ed by each, is as follows, viz. 



Rods 




rodi of Rods 


5 


rods of 


wide. 


long. 


land. 


wide. 


iong-. 


land. 


Post Road, 


4 


1510 


6040 


Town Road, No. 15 


2 


92 


184 


Worcester Turnpike, 


4 


1350 


5400 


No. 16 


2 


151 


302 


Holden Turnpike, 


4 


400 


1600 


No. 17 


2 


400 


800 


County road to ^ 


3 


200 


600 


No. 18 


2 


35 


70 


Boylslon, ^ 


No. 19 


2 


791 


1582 


County road from ) 
Gore, leading east, ^ 


3 


250 


750 


No. 20 
No. 21 


2 
Si 


222 
621 


444 
1552 


County road leading ) 
south to Grafton, ^ 


3 


118 


354 


No. 22 


2 


408 


816 


No. 23 


2 


132 


264 


Town road. No. 1 


2 


747 


1494 


No. 24 


2 


38 


76 


No. 2 


2 


1165 


2330 


No. 25 


2 


503 


1006 


No. 3 


2 


88 


176 


No. 26 


2 


520 


1040 


No. 4 


2 


322 


644 


No. 27 


2 


311 


622 


No. 5 


2 


68 


136 


No. 28 


2 


63 


126 


No. 6 


2 


605 


1210 


No. 29 


2 


356 


712 


No. 7 


2 


952 


1904 


No. 30 


2 


545 


1090 


No. 8 


2 


70 


140 


No. 31 


2 


185 


370 


No. 9 


2 


653 


1306 


No. 32 


2 


42h 


85 


No. 10 


2 


244 


488 


No. 33 


1 m 15 


22 


No. 11 


2 


80 


160 


No. 34 


2 


42 


84 


No. 12 


2i 


1206 


3050 


No. 35 dts'd 






No. 13 


2 


442 


884 


No. 36 


2 


161 


^ 323 


No. 14 


2 


790 


1580 


No. 37 


2 


62 


124 



Making fifty three miles of road, occupying two hundred and sixty 
two acres of land. 

The whole contents of the town amount to fourteen thousand and 
sixty acres, of which seven hundred and ninety eight are water. 
The burying ground contains two acres and sixty one rods, and the 
common around the Congregational Meeting House, four acres 
and one hundred and twenty seven rods of land. 

The town is divided into eleven highway districts, and the usu- 
al grant for the repair of its roads ^800, annually, which is paid in 
labor by those on whom it is assessed. 

The amount of the travel on the old post road and Worcester 
Turnpike, is very great. The Post Office is kept on the first in 
the middle of the town, where the mail from Boston is opened ev- 
ery day (except Sundays) as is also the mail from the west. Four 
Stages pass on the old road every day, (Sundays excepted) and five 
each day on the Turnpike. The great southern mail from Boston 
to New York, is carried in the stage on the Turnpike, and passes 
every day, as does the return mail from the south, to Boston. 
They generally pass each other about 6 P. M. within the limits of 
this town. There is considerable and increasing travel from the 
northward, directly through the middle of the town to Providence. 



16 HISTORY OF SHnEWSBURY. 

Ecclesiastical. — This town contains three religious societies, 
one Congregational, one Baptist, and one Restoration Societ}' ; each 
having a Meeting House. The first was the only religious society 
in the town, until within a few years past. 

The precise time, when the first Meeting House was built, can- 
not be ascertained ; but from what can be gathered from the pro- 
prietor's records, it was in the latter part of 1721 and in 1722. 
Oct. 27, 1719, the proprietors of the township of Shrewsbury "• vot- 
ed that the place for the Meeting House be on Rocky Plain, near 
the pines (there were several large pines within the recollection of 
some of the inhabitants now living, standing a little back of where 
the Congregational Meeting House now stands) and that, in case the 
land agreed upon for a Meeting House could not be procured upon 
reasonable terms, then, the Meeting House be set on the hill 
northward therefrom, called Meeting House hill ;* and that the 
Meeting House be forty feet in length, thirty two in breadth, and 
fourteen feet stud." In April after, a committee was chosen " to 
manage about the Meeting House ;" and in May succeeding, the votes 
passed on the 27th Oct. 1719, respecting the Meeting House, were 
confirmed by the proprietors, and measures taken to have two Saw 
Mills built in the town, to be put in operation by the first of May, 
1721. On the 22d of June following, they "voted two hundred 
and ten pounds for, and towards building a Meeting House, it being 
five pounds on each proprietor ;" and " chose a committee to ad- 
dress the Rev. Mr. Breck, of Marlborough, in behalf of the propri- 
etors of Shrewsbury, praying his notes of a sermon preached by 
himself in said town at a lecture, on the 15th of June, 1720, in or- 
der to have the same sermon printed at the expense of the propri- 
etors." This was the first sermon preached in Shrewsbury ; it 
was printed, and if a copy could be found, it would be worth while 
to preserve it. At their last mentioned meeting, the proprietors 
empowered a committee to contract with some person to build, and 
finish a Meeting House. These meetings of the proprietors were 
all held at the house of the widow Elizabeth Howe, in Marlborough. 
In November, 1722, on application to John Houghton Esq. of 
Lancaster, he issued a warrant calling a meeting of the Proprietors, 
to be held, on the twenty eighth of that month, at the Meeting- 
house, "to consider and conclude of all, or any thing or things proper 

*The land was afterwards procured of William Taylor, one of the Pro- 
prietors, who exchanged acre for acre (the whole quantity, ten acres) and 
took ?wamp land in the GulJ", so called, for his pay. 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. , 17 

and necessary to be done for the procuring- of a Minister, S;c." and, 
as that appears to be the first time the Meeting House was occupied 
for any public use, it is presumed, that it had not then long been fin- 
ished. It was located about eight rods to the north east of where 
the present Congregational Meeting House now stands. That 
house, after a lapse of forty years, being unsuitable to accommodate 
the inhabitants, the Parish voted in October, 1764, to build a new 
Meeting House, which is the present one. It is sixty feet long, 
forty five wide, with twenty seven feet posts, and a porch at each of 
the three outer doors. In 1807, a bellfry, with a steeple, was an- 
nexed to the west end of the Meeting House, and in 1808, a bell 
placed therein, both at the expense of certain individuals of the town. 

At a meeting of the proprietors by adjournment, April 17, 1723, 
it was " voted, to nominate two or three Ministers to a settlement." 
Mr. Gushing, Mr. Barret and Mr. Bailey, were nchninated ; and 
there appeared 18 for the first, 16 for the second, and 4 for the 
third. On the 15th of Blay following, they chose Mr. Gushing 
to be their Minister by a full vote, and gave him £60 settle- 
ment, and £60 salary per year, for the two first years, then 
to rise 4 pounds a year, until it should amount to £80. The 
church was first gathered here on the 4th day of December, 1723, 
and he ordained on the same day. He continued here in the min- 
istry nearly thirty seven years, and was suddenly taken away by 
a fit of the apoplexy, August 6, 1760, in the 67th year of his age. 
During his ministry, the north part of the town, after several un- 
successful attempts, sometimes to be set off as a separate town, and 
at others, as a Parish, was set off and incorporated as a distinct 
Parish, Dec. 17, 1742; not on account of any dissatisfaction of his 
parishioners towards him, for he lived and died in peace with his 
people ; but on account of the increasing number, and remote situ- 
ation in which many of them in that part of the town lived from 
the Meeting House. 

February 2, 1761, the Parish concurred with the church in 
the choice of Mr. Joshua Paine, to become their Pastor ; and 
voted him £66 13 shillings, as an annual salary, during the 
time he should continue to preach the Gospel in this place ; and 
£200 settlement. Mr. Paine declined the invitation. After hear- 
ing several candidates, the Parish voted, Dec. 30, 1761, "to 
hear Mr. Joseph Sumner (of Pomfret, Conn.) if he might be had ;" 
and on the 30th of March, 1762, the Parish concurred with the 
church in the choice of Mr. Sumner, to be their Pastor ; and voted 

VOL. I!. 3 



iJj HISTORY OP SHREWSBURV. 

him the same settlement as to Mr. Paine, and sixty six pounds, 
thirteen shillings, and four pence, lawful money, annually, as a sal- 
ary. Having accepted the call, he was ordained on the 23d day of 
June, 1762, at the age of twenty three. 

The Meeting House being small, and unsafe for so large a col- 
lection of people, as assembled, the ordination solemnities were 
held out of doors, on a platform erected in front of the Meeting 
House, and the day observed by the Parish with fasting and prayer, 
iu conformity 'vith a vote of the church, in which the Parish con- 
curred ; " to observe said day, as a day of fasting and prayer, as 
being most agreeable to the Scripture rule of ordaining, as said 
church apprehends." After Mr. Sumner's acceptance, and before 
his ordination, the Parish increased his salary to £72 or ;^240 
per annum, to take effect in ten years after his settlement. This 
additional grant, occasioning uneasiness in the minds of some, was 
relinquished by him in writing on the 12th of March, 1763, for 
p&ace sake ; he at the same time informing his parishioners, that 
he " relied on their generosity for the future, if he should stand in 
need of further help, that they would be as ready to afford it, as he 
should be to ask it of them," Thus early in his life was manifest- 
ed to our Fathers, what was exhibited to their posterity, a disposi- 
tion to live peaceably with all men; and which so much distin- 
guished, through a long life, this late venerable man of God. 

Several grants were made to the Rev. Mr. Sumner, in the ear- 
lier part of his ministry, in addition to his stated salary. In 1809, 
his salary was raised to ^286 67 per annum, and so remained till 
June, 1820; when, by reason of the infirmities of age, and the 
prospect of having a colleague, Samuel B. Ingersoll, settled with 
him in the ministry, and on whom would devolve the more ardu- 
ous labors and active duties, he, voluntarily, and in writing, relin- 
quished, from and after the settlement of Mr. Ingersoll, all his^sala- 
ry, except ^142 per year, which he continued to receive till the 
time of his death, which happened Dec. 9, 1824, in the 63d year 
-of his ministry, and 85th year of his age. Notwithstanding his sal- 
ary was small, he was enabled by prudence and economy to leave, 
after having brought up a large family of children, a handsome 
property, mostly in real e:Jtate.* In 1314, he received the honora- 

*Dr. Sumner was no less remarkable for his affability and social qualities 
through life, than for his sound sense and di°;nified deportment. He never 
seemed to be taken by surprize ; he always had a ready answer ; his cheer- 
ful manner of giving; it, and its peculiar fitness astonished as well as delighted 
those who heard him. He was a member of an ordaining Council at Prince- 



HISTORY OF SHREVVSBURy. 19 

vy degree of D. D. from Harvard University, and about the same 
lime a similar honor was conferred upon him by Columbia College, 
in South Carolina ; an honor, the bestovvment of which, while it 
reflected increasing honor on those Institutions, not in the least ex- 
cited his vanity or inflated his pride — honors, which brightened as 
he wore them, and proved how judiciously they were conferred^ 
where the subject was so worthy of them. On tho 23J of June, 
1812, he preached his half century sermon, which has gone through 
two editions and contains much valuable information. At the lime 
of his death, there was not an individual in town, who was a mem- 
ber of the church at his ordination ; and all but one, who were 
then in town, and qualified by age to invite him to settle in the 
ministry, had passed off the stage to their long home. This was 
to him a painful recollection ; having many years previous, been 
deprived of the partner of his youth, and all the members compos- 
ing the church, wh en he was wedded to it ; and all but one of those, 
who had invited him to take the oversight of them in the L^l, 
whose kindness to him he held in grateful remembrance to the 
last ; and having also buried two colleagues, he could not but feel 
solitary : he was a widower, indeed ! 

During the Revolutionary struggle between the Colonies and 
the parent country, Dr. Sumner took an open and decisive part; 
he was always no less the friend of political, than religious freedom ; 
while the privations, which he endured on account of the deranged 
state of the then public affairs, with a degree of patience and equa- 
nimity, rarely if ever equalled, furnished ample proofs of his sin- 
ton some years since, and the subject of salaries having been introduced, and 
by some complained of, as being too low — and when it was ascertained that 
his was the lowest salary enjoyed by any of the Clergymen present, and with 
which he seemed to be entirely satisfied, one of them, in the presence and 
hearing of the others, enquired of him, "how he could make out to live upon 
it?" The Doctor replied, "Oh ! they that have much, have not enough, and 
they that have little, have no lack !" 

At a dinner party in Worcester, in the latter part of his life, of a number 
of gentlemen of the Bar, and some others, among whom was the late Francis 
Blake, then Clerk of the Courts, Dr. Sumner was present, on the invitation 
of the Sheriif. After dinner, he thought it prudent, at his advanced period of 
life, to retire early from the table and prepare for home. This early withdraw- 
al was noticed by Mr. Blake, and he publicly expressed to Dr. Sumner his 
regret on account of it ; the Doctor observed, while putting on his coat, that 
"it is time old folks were at home" — upon which Mr. Blake said to him, " Dr. 
Sumner, I hope you do not mean, because you are going, it is time for us all 
to go ?" "Oh Ino," replied the Doctor,in a pleasant manner, and turning round 
towards the company, just as he was going out at the door, " you may stay 
as much longer as you are younger .'" Mr, Blake was afterwards often beard 
to speak with admiration of tbig reply. 



20 HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

cerity in the American cause, as well as his confidence in its tlftal 
triumph. He omitted no reasonable opportunity, either in public 
discourses, or private interviews, to animate his townsmen to renew- 
ed exertions in the cause of freedom and the rights of man. " His 
constitution was naturally vigorous ; through life he was blessed 
with good health ; his punctuality in all his engagements was re- 
markable, and he was ever prompt to the call of duty. During the 
period of 62 years, he was never absent from the stated communion 
of his church," and during 57 years of his ministry, '•'• the public 
exercises of the Sabbath in this place were suspended only seven 
Sundays, on account of his indisposition, or in consequence of his 
journeying." The sick were sure to find him early at their bed- 
side, tenderly and with a fatherly anxiety to enquire after their sit- 
uation, and to minister to their spiritual wants; and when sickness 
was followed by death, his feelings were touched, his sympathies 
mingled with the grief of the bereaved, and he was among them, 
a§d mourner among mourners. The deep yet lively interest he 
took in the education of children, the punctuality with which he 
visited and inspected the town schools, the cheerfulness with which 
he did it, even when past the age of 80, the good impressions made 
on the minds of the youth by his seasonable remarks and appropri- 
ate prayers, will long be remembered. It was a maxim with him, 
when duty called, never, if 1 may so express it, to suffer himself to 
excuse himself During his ministry, the rite of baptism was ad- 
ministered to 1251 individuals of his society, and 367 persons were 
admitte<l into his church : he solemnized 488 marriages, assisted in 
the ordination of 53 Clergymen, and was a member of 33 mutual 
and exparte Councils. He preached three funeral sermons at the 
interments of three Pastors of the church in Rutland : viz. Messrs. 
Buckmioster, Goodrich and Foster, and was moderator of three or- 
daining Councils in that town, viz: at the ordination of the two last 
named gentlemen, and that of the Rev. Mr. Clark. It was his re- 
quest, expressed some years previous to his disease, that, should the 
Rev. Dr. Bancroft survive him, he might preach his funeral sermon ; 
the event so happened ; and his request was complied with, and 
on the 12th Dec. 1824, all that was mortal of this worthy man, was 
committed to the tomb. 

Mr. Samuel B. IngersoU, of Beverly, commenced preaching here, 
Sept. 27, 1819, in aid of the Rev. Dr. Sumner; and on the 14th of 
May, 1820, the church having made choice of him, on their part, 
to become the Colleague Pastor, with the Rev. Dr. Sumner, the 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 21 

town concurred therein ; and on the 14th of June following-, he was 
publicly ordained to that office with a salary of ^650 a year, pay- 
ments to be made quarterly ; he reserving to himself two Sabbaths 
in the spring and two in autumn of each and every year. He 
preached here the ^r5< Sabbath after his ordination for the last time. 
His health, when he was settled, was feeble ; sickness arrested him, 
and he with his wife, whom he had married but a few months be- 
fore, went to Beverly fcr the recovery of his health, where he di- 
ed, Nov. 14, 1820, five months after his ordination, at the ao-e of 
thirty three. 

Thus far, since the year 1786, the parochial business had been 
done in the name of the town. A large number having withdrawn 
from this religious society, in 1820, and established another for 
public worship in the south part of the town, it was deemed expe- 
dient to revive the parish, the business of which had been merged 
in that of the town thirty four years, and have its concerns trans- 
acted in its own name. Accordingly, it was regularly re-oro-anized 
on the 26th day of March, 1821, and the necessary parish officers 
chosen : since which, it has continued its operations as a distinct 
body in its own name. 

June 25th, 1821, the church unanimously made choice (and on 
the 26th of July following, the parish unanimously concurred there- 
in) of the Rev. Edwards Whipple, late the settled minister of the 
Congregational church and society in Charlton, to become their 
pastor as colleague with the Rev. Dr. Sumner. Sept. 26, 1821, he 
was regularly installed with a salary of ^550 per year to be paid 
him annually. 

His manners were agreeable and his talents of the first order ; 
but while his parishioners were congratulating one another on the 
happy re-settlement of a colleague pastor, he was suddenly snatch- 
ed from them on the 17th of Sept. 1822, having been sick but a 
few days with a fever, at the age of 44 ; in the vigor of manhood 
and not a week before, the picture of health, with a fair prospect 
of living many years to enjoy it. This sudden a d so unexpected, 
as well as repeated disappointment, as may well be expected, threw 
a gloom over the parish, the recollection of which will not soon 
be forgotten. 

Mr. Ingersoll preached one Sabbath, and Mr. Whipple failed 
one of completing a year. Thus while the united labors of Dr. 
Sumner's two colleagues just completed a full tjear, his, united to 
Mr. Cushing's completed a century^ 



22 HISTOUV OF SHREWSBURy. 

August 18, 1823, the parish concurred with the church in the 
choice of Mr. George Allen to become colleague pastor Avith the 
Rev. Dr. Sumner. He was ordained Nov. 19th, 1823; having a 
settlement of ,^300, and a salary of ^550 per annum, for two years, 
and after that, ,^G00 annually : he is their present pastor. 

In 1791, the proceeds of the sale of certain pews, made by cut- 
ting up the body seats in the Meeting House, were appropriated by 
the town "to begin a fund for the support of a Congregational Min- 
ister in the town forever :" in addition to which, the town, in 1799, 
granted certain other monies and public securities belonging to the 
town, amounting in all to ^1920, to the use aforesaid; " the interest 
of which to be added to the principal, until the interest together 
with the interest of such sums, as have, or may become a part of 
said fund, sliall be sufficient to support a Congregational Minister 
in said town.'" Feb. 18, 1801, nine gentlemen of the town were 
incorporated by the General Court into a body politic by the name 
of "the Trustees of the Fund appropriated to the support of a Minis- 
ter of the Congregational denomination in the town of Shrewsbury," 
with power to fill vacancies and hold personal or real estate to the 
use aforesaid, " provided, that the same fund shall never exceed 
the sum of eight thousand dollars in the whole ;" and they " not 
in any case to lessen or make use of any part of the principal." 
The interest of this fund, under the existing limitation of its prin- 
cipal, can never be sufficient for the purpose intended. The Rev 
Mr, Allen's salary exceeds by $120, the interest of eight thousand 
dollars. In April after the act of incorporation, the sums subscrib- 
ed and paid into the fund by certain individuals of the town, amount- 
ed to about $2500; since which time, additions have been made to 
it by donations and otherwise ; and the principal is now about $5600. 
Most of the interest was appropriated for the support of the minis- 
try, till 1820; since then, the interest has not been sufficient for 
that purpose ; the residue is made up by a tax regularly assessed 
on the parish. 

The Baptist society in this town is small, compared with either of 
the others. It is composed of members from this and some of the 
neighboring towns, but has never been incorporated. It was formed 
in 1812, and their Meeting House built in 1813; it is 25 feet by 
32, with 12 feet posts, and cost not far from $450 ; it was, at its 
formation, styled the Shrewsbury and Boylston Baptist Society, and 
the number of church members was then thirty three. About two 
years since, a Baptist Society was formed in Boylston, and most of 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 23 

those from that town^ who usually had ivorshipped here, joined 
themselves to that society, since which, this has been styled the Bap- 
tist Society in Shrewsbury. The number of members connected 
with this church in 1825, whose relations had not been removed, 
was 74. Mr. Elias M^Gregory was their first settled minister ; he 
was ordained 17th June, 1818, and received by contribution about 
^200 per annum ; he was dismissed at his own request, in May, 
1821, but with great reluctance on the part of the society. After 
this, several gentlemen officiated here on the Sabbath; among whom 
was Mr. Samuel W. Vilas ; he preached to them nearly a year, and 
was about to be settled over them, when he sickened and died, July 
15, 1823, in the 33d year of his age. He was esteemed and belov- 
ed by those who knew him, and his premature death disappointed 
the expectations of many. This society has not at present any or- 
dained minister ; Mr. Henry Archibald preaches to them about half 
of the time with a compensation, at the rate of ^250 a year. 

The Restoration Society was formed April 11, 1820; its present 
number of male members is about 170, of whom 104 belong to this 
town, as appears by certificates tiled in the Town Clerks office. It 
was incorporated,April 26, 1824, under alawof this Commonwealth, 
by the name of the " First Restoration Society in Shrewsbury." 
Their Meeting House was finished and dedicated, May 29, 1823, and 
is 41 by 42 feet. It is in the modern style, with a projection of 11 
feet by 28, through which, by a door at either end admittance is 
gained into the house. The projection, on which is a steeple, fronts 
the Turnpike road ; on the south side of which the house is situat- 
ed. It is about a mile and an half South of the Congregational 
Meeting House. The Meeting House is painted within and without, 
and having a pleasant location, makes a handsome appearance. It is 
furnished with a large well toned organ, an elegant piece of work- 
manship, made by a self taught and very ingenious young man of 
this town ; and which is used on days of public worship. The 
house cost about $3000, An acre of land, for the accommodation 
of the house and other purposes, was given to the Society by one 
of its individuals. 

The Rev. Jacob Wood was installed over the church and Soci- 
ety, on the day of the dedication of the house, and has a salary of 
$468 per annum, raised, till Nov. 1825, by voluntary subscription, 
but now by legal taxation — six houses for public worship are now 
standing on the original grant of Shrewsbury. 



24 HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

Schools. — The grants for the support of schools have been 
^700 annually ; for several years past, but are now 5^720 ; ^200 for 
Mistress' schools, $430 for Masters' do. and $90 for fuel. The 
town is divided into seven school districts, each having a school 
house, but all of them owned by the town. The inhabitants are 
not confined to their respective districts, but may send their children 
and youth under their care, to either of the schools, as it may best 
accommodate them. The School houses and districts are distin- 
guished by numbers ; and the amount of money granted each year is 
annually apportioned among them according to the following rule 
adopted in 1814, and founded partly on the amount of the valuation, 
and partly on the number of scholars in each district. 



No. 1 draws 16^ per cent 
No. 2 15| do. 

No. 3 17 do. 

No. 4 12| do. 



No. 5 draws 12 per cent 
No. 6 11^ do. 

No. 7 14^ do. 



The number of scholars that attended during the winter season 
of 1825— 6, is about 500. 

Poor, &,c. — The town has two or three times had under con- 
sideration the subject of procuring a farm, whereon to support its 
paupers. It never had an establishment of this kind, and does not 
yet deem it expedient to purchase one. The number of paupers 
supported, some wholly, and others partially, by the town, for five 
years past, was from 18 to 32 per year; and their annual average 
expense to the town, $650.* They are vendued, sometimes indi- 
vidually, and at others collectively, to the lowest bidder, tor one 
year, commencing on the first of April. It is supposed, that vvheu 
the paupers of a town are vendued, they are not supported in so 
economical a manner as might be adopted ; nor in one, that tends 
so much to their comfort as would be desirable. The practice of 
venduingthem to the lowest bidder is one, the long usage of which, 
in many places, has obliterated that nice sense of feeling, which 
makes man shudder at the thought of being instrumental in the sale 
of his fellow man ; a practice, that places this unfortunate class of 
people, many of whom have become so by unforeseen circumstances, 
and consequently without any fault of theirs, in a condition to be 
sold like slaves. We exclaim against the inhuman practice of sel- 

* The number of paupers supported wholly or partially by the town 
was in 1821 19 expense to the town, $675,56 

1822 18 do. 549,36 

1823 19 do. 527,57 

1824 25 do. 696,11 

1825 32 do. 861,00 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 25 

ling Africans and negroes ; it is honorable to us to do so ; it is 
an odious traffic ; and is not the selling of paupers an odious prac- 
tice ? It has been so long and so generally practised in this part of 
the country, that for an individual to attempt to renmedy it, is for 
him to set himself against thousands ; yet it is a consolation to know, 
that many, even a great many, who acquiesce in this practice, do 
it with great reluctance, and would be glad, from feelings of hu- 
manity, to have it discontinued. 

It is true, the body of the slave is sold for the labor it can per- 
form, while it is the support of the pauper, that is put up at auc- 
tion : but the case is not materially different. Their situation is 
not so unlike, as it is thought and intended to be; the support of 
the slave is incidental to the purchase of his body, while the body 
of the pauper is incidental to the sale of his support ; the latter 
has a master no less than the former, who derives to his benefit 
what can be obtained from his servant's labor ; and as it is natural 
for a man to make the most he can of a contract, the pauper often 
has a hard master, as well as the slave ; for while the one is accus- 
tomed to hard labor, and often beaten with stripes, the other, too 
frequently, suffers the want of a sufficient support, as well as kind 
treatment. In some respects, the situation of the slave is prefera- 
ble ; his feelings are respected by selling him to the highest bid- 
der, while the feelings of the pauper are mortified by his being 
sold to the lowest ; and while the one is not sold, perhaps, but once 
in his life, the other is publicly exposed to sale annually. The 
mark of degradation is annually stamped upon him, as if to remind 
him of his dependence on his fellow men. At the same time he is 
subjected every year to the liability of having a new master ; nor is 
this all : the slave has not, while the pauper has, the benefit of a 
tolerable education ; has lived and associated with civilized peo- 
ple, and is possessed of feelings, that have thereby become refined ; 
it generally so happens, if not out of regard to his feelings, and 
those of relatives and acquaintance, that the slave, though unciviliz 
ed, is sold among strangers, himself a stranger in a strange land ; while 
the pauper, civilized and of refined feelings, is made by his coun- 
trymen to endure the grievious mortification of being publicly sold 
in his own town, and perhaps, to one, never his friend; and of be- 
ing looked down upon in this humiliating situation, caused perhaps 
by sickness or misfortune beyond his control, by many, who once 
looked up to him, and of seeing himself neglected, if not despised 
by others, who, in his better days, had been wont to take him by 
VOL. ir. 4 



^0 HISTORV OF SHREWSBURY. 

the hand. Independent of the better treatment the poor would re- 
ceive, every town would find it for its interest to have a poorhouse, 
either by itself, or by uniting with an adjoining town, to have one 
for the common purposes of both. 

Pounds. — There have been four Pounds built at the expense of 
the town ; the two first of wood, and the two last of stone. The 
first was erected in 1723, and stood near the brook, by the old Post 
road, at the west end of Mr. Samuel Bullard's apple orchard, 
three quarters of a mile east of the Congregational Meeting House ; 
the travelled way, notwithstanding the road was laid where it now 
is, was then between his house and the brook, and came into the 
road about half a mile east, and about a quarter of a mile west of 
his house, and opposite where Capt. Keyes' houses were burnt, in 
1723, (of which more hereafter) and continuing west, it left the 
road to the north, and, passing south of where Henry Baldwin's 
house now stands, came into the road again more than a mile fur- 
ther west, on the top of Daniel Maynard's hill, so called. The 
second Pound was built in 1746, and stood on the same road, half a 
mile further west, partly on ground now occupied by a Blacksmith's 
shop. The third was built in 1764, on the same spot; and the 
fourth, in 1799, and stands on the common, a little distance north 
west from the Congregational Meeting House. 

Fires. — There have been nine dwelling houses, two barns, one 
school house, and one saw mill burnt in this town. The first was 
Gershom Wheelock's house, which stood on the old Post road, not 
far distant from where Mr. Joseph Nurse now lives. No record 
of any thing relating to this event has been found, by which the 
precise time when it happened is known. As aged people say, this 
was the first house burnt in Shrewsbury ; it must have been prior 
to the 7th of August, 1723 ; since which, no house has been erect- 
ed on that spot. Mr. Wheelock soon after purchased the house 
lot No. 23, where his grandson. Deacon "Gershom Wheelock, now 
lives ; who has in his possession some sms^l articles of furniture 
that were saved from the fire. The place where he now lives, 
descended from father to son and grandson, and has been in their 
united possession nearly one hundred years. The house burnt, was 
the first house built in Shrewsbury. Gershom Wheelock, who 
built it, came here from Marlborough, and was the first man who 
commenced work in this town. 

The next fire was the most remarkable, as well as the most 
sorrowful occurrence that ever took place in this part of the coun- 



HISTORY OP SHREWSBURY. 27 

try; and, as the town was then in its infancy, was peculiarly 
shocking. It is related in Whitney's history of the County of Wor- 
cester ; Whitney says, he gives it in the words of the account pub- 
lished in the only newspaper, as he was told, then printed in New 
England, if not on this side of Philadelphia. It was a small half 
sheet, printed by B. Green, and is as follows : 

"Boston, August 15, 1723. 

" An exact account of the awful burning of Capt. John Keyes' 
house, with five persons in it, at Shrewsbury, in the night between 
the 7th and 8th of this inst. taken from a letter of the Rev. Mr. 
Breck, of Marlborough, and from the mouth of Mr. Ebenezer 
Bragg,* of the same, formerly of Ipswich, the only person of those, 
who lodged in the house, who, by a distinguishing providence, es- 
caped the flames. 

"Capt. Keyes was building an house about nine or ten feet off 
his old one. It was almost finished ; and Mr. Bragg aforesaid, the 
carpenter, with his brother Abiel, of 17 years of age, and William 
Oaks, of 18, his apprentices, were working about it. Capt. Keyes, 
with his wife and four daughters, lodged in the old one; and the 
three carpenters, with the three sons of the Captain, viz. Solomon, 
of 20, John, of 13, and Stephen, of 6 years of age, laying in the 
new. On Wednesday night, going to bed, they took a more than 
ordinary care of the fire, being excited thereto, by the saying of 
one, he 'would not have the house burnt for an hundred pounds ; and 
the reply of another, he woidd not for two hundred; upon which, 
they carefully raked away the chips lying near it, and stayed till 
the rest were almost burnt out ; and then they went all six togeth- 
er into three beds in one of the chambers; and were very cheerly 
and merry at their going to bed, which was about ten of the clock. 
But, about midnight, Mr. Bragg was awakened with a notion of the 
house being on fire, and a multitude calling to quench it; with 
which he got up, saw nothing, heard no voice, but could hardly 
fetch any breath through the stifling smoke ; concluded the house 
was on fire, perceived somebody stirring, against whom he hit two 
or three times in the dark, and not being able to speak, or breathe 
any longer, and striking his forehead against the chimney, he 
thought of the window, and happily found it : when be gained it, 
he tarried a minute, holding it fast with one hand, and reaching out 
the other, in hopes of meeting with some one or other to save them, 
till the smoke and fire came so thick and scorching upon him, he 
* Father of the late Deacon John Bragg^, of this town. 



28 HISTOUy OP SHREWSBURY. 

could endure it no longer. And hearing no noise in the chamber, on- 
ly as he thought, a faint groan or two, he was forced to jvimp out, 
and, the window being small, head foremost; though he supposes, 
by God's good providence, he turned before he came to the ground. 

"As Mr. Bragg was just got up again, Capt. Keyes, being awak- 
ed in the old house, was coming to this side of the new, and met 
him. But the flame immediately burst out of tlie windows, and 
the house was quickly all on a light flame. No noise was heard of 
the other five who perished; and it is very questionable, whether 
more than one of them moved out of their beds. The oid house 
was also burnt, and almost every thing in it ; but the people were 
saved through the great goodness of God. But a most dreadful 
sight it was, in the morning, to see the five bodies frying in the 
fire, among the timbers fallen down in the cellar, till towards the 
evening; when the [ew almost consumed fragments, without heads 
or limbs, were gathered, put into one coffin and buried. Psalm, 
Ixvi. 3. Say unto God, how terrible art thou in thy works! James, iv. 15. 
Ye know not what shall be on the morrow! Luke, xii. 40. Be ye there- 
fore ready!''"' — Thus far the Newspaper. 

The Capt. Keyes abovenamed was afterwards the well known 
and much esteemed Major John Keyes, Esq. who died in this town, 
March 3, 1768, at the advanced age of 94. He left a widow, who 
lived to be 96 years old, and the}' lived in the married state 72 
years. The houses which were burnt, stood on the north side of 
the old Post road, a little more than half a mile east of where the 
Congregational Meeting House now stands. On these spots, and 
Dear them, several large and handsome buildings have been erected. 

About the year 1750, Jonathan Morse's house was burnt. It 
was a large two story house, and stood a little south of where the 
Worcester Turnpike now passes ; on the same spot a house was 
erected by Mr. Southgate a few years since. The next was Joseph 
Sherman's house ; it was burnt about the year 1771, and stood 
where Capt. Martin Newton's house now is. In August, 1774, 
George Brown's house was burnt, in the night time — another, still 
standing, but much decayed, was soon erected upon the same spot. 
In 1776, the two-story dwelling house of Capt. Thomas Knowlton 
was burnt : he built another on the same ground, and is the same ia 
which he now lives. A large two-story house, belonging to Dea- 
con Benjamin Goddard, was burnt in Feb. 1799, in the day time, 
with most of its contents, another was very soon after built on the 
same spot, in which he now lives, at an advanced age. A two-sto- 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 29 

ry house, belonging' to Thomas W. Ward, Esq. and in the occupa- 
tion of John Sherman, was burnt in the night time, Jan. 1816, and 
stood where Mr. Daniel Stone now lives. 

In 1797, a school house, standing in the fork of the roads, op- 
posite the house of Mr. Calvin R. Stone, was burnt, with many- 
school books therein. A barn, many years since, belonging to Al- 
pheus Pratt, and, two or three years ago, one belonging to Amasa 
Knowlton, were destroyed by tire ; as was a saw mill, in February 
last, belonging to Samuel Goddard. 

In no one of these calamities were any lives lost, except at the 
burning of Capt. Keyes' houses. The number of barns burnt have 
been few^ compared with the number of houses ; and what is re- 
markable, no building has ever been burnt by lightning in this town 
since its settlement. 

A small house, near the foot of the hill, west of Rocky plain, 
on the Post road, suddenly disappeared in the night time, about 
three years since. Report says, it was not a house of the best fame ; 
and, as it was occupied by witches^ and frequented by wizzards, it 
occasioned but little surprise ; though it was followed by an explo- 
sion that was heard at a considerable distance. From the best ac- 
counts, it is supposed, that, some how or other, in the absence of the 
occupants, fire and powder came in contact — the natural conse- 
quence followed — report immediately proclaimed the consequences 
— from curiosity, as well as a due regard to the observance of the 
laws, an attempt was made to search out the person or persons, 
who had, to say the least, been so careless as to leave a quantity of 
powder there : it was at last concluded that it belonged to nobody^ 
and, as is generally the case, whatever else of a mischievous na- 
ture was done, nobody did it ! 

In 1818, a subscription paper was circulated in this town, for 
the purpose of procuring means to purchase two fire Engines ; they 
were built here, and procured, one at the expense of ^120, the 
other at ^130, and placed in houses provided for them at ^31 each. 
Through the favor of Providence there has been no necessity of 
using them. 

The laudable zeal manifested by the proprietors in guarding 
against fire, exceeded their judgment in purchasing these engines: 
the amount of money extinguished in this concern was ^315. 

Revolution.— This town early manifested a determination to 
oppose the measures of the British Parliament, relative to taxation 
in America — the first public expression of its opinion was at a town 



30 HISTORY OF SHREVVSBURy. 

meeting held in May, 1770 ; when a vote of thanks was passed " to 
the merchants and other inhabitants of the town of Boston, for the 
noble and generous stand they had made in the defence of the peo- 
ple's rights ;" and in May, 1772, it instructed its Representative 
" by no means, directly or indirectly, to give up any constitutional 
right, nor to ask for a removal of the General Assembly, to its an- 
cient and legal seat, in such manner, as to give up the claim the 
House of Representatives have heretofore so justly set up." In 
January, 1773, the town voted, " that, viewing themselves as sub- 
jects, they had an undeniable right to life, liberty, and properly ; 
and that the several acts of Parliament and Administration are sub- 
versive of those rights." 

January, 1774, the town "voted, that we will totally lay aside 
the use of all Teas on which a duty is payable, or hath been paid 
by virtue of any Act of the British Parliament — that we will be 
ever ready to do all in our power to preserve our just rights and 
privileges — and will view, as an enemy to the continent, any one, 
who shall appear to be instrumental in carrying said Act of Parlia- 
ment into execution" — and that the town of Boston be furnished 
with a copy of the proceedings of this meeting. 

In August, 1774, they voted, " that, if the Courts to be holden 
at Worcester, for the County of Worcester, for the future, be, in 
consequence of the late Parliamentary Acts, or any new appoint- 
ments by our Governor, authorized by said Acts, that the town 
would resist, and not suffer said Courts to do business. In Septem- 
ber after, the town directed its Constables not to serve the venires 
issued by the Court to be holden at Worcester; and "voted to in- 
demnify them for neglecting to serve the illegal and unprecedented 
venire lately sent to the town." They also "voted to procure an 
iron Field piece, and ammunition for the same, at the expense, and 
for the use of the town," which was soon after done — two Dele- 
gates were at the same time chosen to represent the town in a Gen- 
eral Provincial Congress, to be holden at Concord, the October fol- 
lowing. In December after, they chose a Delegate to attend a like 
Congress, " to be holden at Watertown, or elsewhere, in February 
or sooner, if need be, and to continue to the Tuesdaj' proceeding 
the last Wednesday in May succeeding, and no longer" — at the 
same time, the town adopted unanimously the association of the 
Continental Congress, and the addition thereto of the Provincial 
Congress ; and " voted to carry them into execution with the ut- 
most vigor'' — they also prohibited the Collectors from paying any 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 31 

money ia their hands to Harrison Gray, Esq. the Province Treasur- 
er, but directed th^^m to pay the same to Henry Gardner, Esq. of 
Stow ; and voted to indemnify them for so doing. 

In May, 1775, " voted that each parish raise as many men, as 
possible, to hold themselves in readiness to reinforce our army, near 
Boston, if needed, with such officers, as they should think proper;" 
they also chose a committee to examine the Rev. Ebenezer Morse, 
Messrs. William Crawford, Jotham Bush, Benjamin Fish and Tim- 
othy Ross, suspected of toryisra. The committee attended to their 
duty and reported, " that the Rev. Mr. Morse was not so friendly to 
the common cause, as the committee could wish ; and that in some 
instances he had been unfriendly ; that William Crawford was tshol- 
hj unfriendly, and inclined to take up arms in defence of the King 
and Parliament ; and that they had admitted the three others sus- 
pected, to sign the association, and recommended to the town to 
receive them, upon their faithfully promising to do their full pro- 
portion of duty in resisting and repelling the Kings' troops, &c. 
The committee of correspondence was then directed, by the town 
to take from said Morse, his arms, ammunition and warlike imple- 
ments, of all kinds, to be kept by the Committee ; and he forbidden 
to pass over the lines of the second precinct in Shrewsbury on any 
occasion whatever^ without a permit from said committee. The like 
proceedings were had as to Crawford, except he was not to go be- 
yond the limits of his farm, until the town should see fit to liberate 
him. The acknowledgment of the other three was accepted, and 
they, by a vote, were received again into favor. In May, 1776, 
the town voted unanimously in favor of becoming independent of 
Great Britain, if the Continental Congress should declare the same. 
In 1777, the persons, before named, suspected of toryism, were, to- 
gether with Lewis Allen,* declared, by a vote of the town, to be 

* Lewis Allen was at this time a young man ; he came here with his fath- 
er, Lewis Allen, from Boston, when a child ; his father, an old sea Captain, 
had many of those peculiarities observable in those, who have long followed 
the seas — he lived where Col. Joseph Henshaw afterwards lived and died— 
many anecdotes are related of him ; of which the following is one — 
he went down to the then Baldwin tavern, where .Mr. Bullard now lives, tak- 
ing with him his little son Lewis, and his black man, Boston. Caleb, an old- 
er brother of Lewis, was left at home : Lewis, while at Baldwin's, clambered 
up upon a pair of ''cheese tongs" thai stood by the well curb, and fell into the 
well: Captain Allen and others v/ere standing by and the boy was taken out 
unhurt — Captain Allen had no sooner recovered from his fright, than he ex- 
claimed, " Boston I run — run home — and see if CaUh is not \n our well!.' 
for I never knew Lewis do a d — d trick, but what Caleb immediately did 
another just like it 1" Boston ran, as commanded — but, on reaching home, 



32 - HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

inimical to the United States, and dangerous persons to reside with- 
in this State ; and a committee was chosen to proceed against each 
and all of them at the next court of General Sessions of the Peace. 

The resolute and daring spirit manifested by the town, thus 
early, to contend with unequal force, and wUere nothing but the 
justice of the cause could lay a foundation for hope of success, did 
not terminate in votes and paper resolutions. The town replenish- 
ed and enlarged its stock of ammunition ; arms were procured, and 
the inhabitants cheerfully turned out once a week to be instructed 
in military discipline. Boston had taken the lead in opposition to 
arbitrary power; distinguished individuals there, and in other towns, 
busily employed themselves in infusing among the people through- 
out the country, a knowledge of their rights ; which was followed, 
as might have been expected, by public expressions on their part, 
from all quarters, manfully to maintain them. As the mercury in 
the political thermometer rose in the country, the town of Boston 
took higher ground ; and Revolution marched onward ; of the 
troops, that soon after invested Boston, this town sent a large num- 
ber, and had its complement in the service during the war. 

In 1778, a frame of governmynt, adopted by the General Court 
of this State and submitted to the people for acceptance, was laid 
before the town, and disapproved of; four being for, and one hund- 
red against it. 

Miscellaneous. — There is in the sonth west part of the town, 
near Mr. Elijah Rice's, a large meadow of about seventy acres, 
owned by several individuals, which has lately been found to con- 
tain excellent peat ; it has been examined in various parts of the 
meadow, and taken out in some places to the depth of several feet, 
and in all, proves to be of a superior quality : so great is the quan- 
tity, it may be said to be inexhaustable. 

A majority of this town, in 1786, sided with Shays in his oppo- 
sition to government — many of its inhabitants took arms and re- 
paired to the field — they aided in stoppmg the Courts, &,c. and, for 
a time, the peace of the town was greatly disturbed and fears were 
entertained, that it would be followed with bloodshed — happily 
quiet and order were restored — it seems now to be as generally 

found his master''s fears were groundless. The son, Lewis Allen, having ar- 
rived to man's estate, afterwards removed to Leicester, owned the Mount 
Pleasant I'arm, and died there. He was buried in the garden of the Mount 
Pleasant farm, and near the road, at his own request ; that he might, as he 
said, learn the news, when the stage came from Boston I 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 33 

admitted, that there were causes of complaint, as it is, that the 
course pursued to remove them was unjustifiable. 

Few towns have been favored with more general health than 
this. The disorders, which have prevailed here to the greatest 
extent, have been the dysentery and the canker-rash. In 1770, 
twenty seven persons died here of the latter ; two families lost four 
in each; and in 1775, the former was brought into this place from 
the camp, and proved fatal to numbers ; and the whole number of 
deaths in that year was nineteen. Dr. Sumner observes, in his half 
century sermon, preached June 23, 1812, that "these two were 
the years of our greatest mortality — and that in 1790, one in fifty 
of our inhabitants had passed eighty years of age; of these one 
died in her hundred and fifth year,* and another lived to be one 
hundred and five years and two months oldt : they that live the 
longest, find an appointed time, beyond which they cannot pass." 
In 1821, the dysentery prevailed here again, principally among 
children, to an alarming degree ; for a time, it proved fatal to 
nearly all, who were attacked with it. The number of deaths in 
that year, far exceeded those in any other, and amounted to forty. 

The following table exhibits the number of deaths in this town, 
in each year, for the last ten years, commencing January 1, 1816, 
and ending December 31, 1825. 

1816 '17 'IS '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 '25 Total, 
Under 1 5111020400 14 



Betv.'een 1 & 5 


2 





1 


3 





20 


2 


6 


6 


2 


42 


Between 5 & 10 





1 


3 





1 


2 


1 





2 


1 


11 


Between 10 & 20 





2 








1 


4 


1 





1 





9 


Between 20 & 30 


3 


3 


2 


6 


1 


4 


1 


2 


2 


2 


25 


Between 30 & 40 


4 


2 


3 








2 


2 


1 


2 


2 


18 


Between 40 & 50 


3 


2 


1 


1 








2 


2 





T 


12 


Between 50 & 60 


1 


2 


2 





1 


1 


2 





2 


2 


13 


Between 60 & 70 





2 


1 





2 


2 


1 


1 


1 


1 


11 


Between 70 & 80 


1 


4 


1 


2 


4 


2 


2 


3 


2 


4 


25 


Between 80 & 90 


1 





2 


1 


1 


1 


3 


o 


4 


1 


16 



Over 90 1100000010 3 

21 20 17 13 11 40 17 21 24 16 200 

Of those living, there were, on the first day of January, 1826, 
one male over 90 — females over that age, none — over 80 and under 
90, of males 8 ; females 8 — over 70 and under 80, of males 14 ; fe- 
males, 15 — total over 70 — 46. In 1810, the population of this town 
was 1210; in 1820 — 1458; if the increase has been one half as great 
in five years past, as it was in the ten preceeding, it amounts now to 

* Widow Mary Jones. tVVidow Rnth Gaififld. 

vor. u. 5 



HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 



1582. The number of ratable polls is not less than three hundred 
and ninety. 

Twenty seven of the youth of this town have received a col- 
legiate education. 

The following is a Catalogue of their names, when and where 
graduated, the places of their after residence, professions, &.C. 

* Artemas Ward, 17igC, Harvard University, i ^'^'^^ ''"'• ^- ^- P-'^^^' ^""^ 



Shrewsbury 

* Jacob Cushin*, do. do. 
*Ezekiel Dodg-e, 1749 do. 

* Lemuel Hedge, 1759 do. 

* Nehemiah Parker, 1763 do. 

* John Gushing, 1764 do. 

* Edward Goddard, do. do. 

* Silas Bigelow, 1765 do. 

* Nathan Goddard, 1770 do. 
Isaac Stone, do. do. 
Aaron Crosby, do. do. 

* Benjamin Heywood, 1775 do. 

Benjamia Stone, 1776 do. 

* Samuel Crosby, 1777 do. 
Artemas Ward, 1783 do. 

* Frederick Parker, 1784 do. 



cester Co.; Maj. Gen. in the 
) Revolution ; Mem. Con. &c.t 
V>'allhani, ordained minister there,DD. 



Abington, 

Warwick, 

Hubbardston, 

Ashburnham, 

Swanzey, N. H. 

Paxton, 

Douglass, 



do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 

do. 



Dummerston, Vt. do. 

Worcester, J ■^"d,8^'^^-C-.P»«^^'Wor- 
' ^ cester County. 

^ First Preceptor of Leices- 

Shrewsbury C;^"- \^^f'y^ f ^ ^'^^^^P' 
•' r tor of other do. now res- 

) ident in Shrewsbury. 

Charlestown, N. H. Apothecary. 

P . ) Member of Congress, and 
i^osion, ^ ^^^ ^^.^^ j^^ ^ ^ pj^^^ 

Canterbury, Minister there. 



Calvin Goddard, 1786 Dartmouth Col. Norwich, Conn. I f^^' ^°l^^^^^' ^°? 
' ' ^ Judge of Sup. Court. 



Samuel Sumner, do. do. 

* Otis Crosby, 1791 do. 

* Henry D. Ward, 1791 H. U. 

Wilkes Allen, 1801 do. 

Andrew H. Ward, 1808 do. 

David Brigham, 1810 do. 

Henry D. Ward, 1816 do. 



Southbon 



, ) Minis 
^ ' ^ reside 



ister there, now 
ssideat in Vermont. 
Ordained minister. 

i Removed to Columbia, S. C. an em- 
s inent Counsellor at Law, died at 
} Middletown, Conn. 
Chelmsford, Minister there. 
Shrewsbury, Counsellor at Law. 
Fitchburg, do. 

Resident Graduate, Cambridge. 



* Dead. t A biographical sketch of the life of the Honorable Artemas 
Ward, accompanied with interesting revolutionary papers, &;c, will be fur- 
nished hereafter. 

i Went out Chaplain in the Macedo- 
*Azariab Wilson, do. do. ^ nian, Capt, Downs, and died at 

) Valparaiso, 1818. 
ubal Harrington, 1825, Providence College, At Law School, Northampton. 
AVilliam Pratt, do, do. Resident ia Shrewsbury. 



It turnished one field oflicer in the French war, proceeding 
the Revolution, and one Major General in the Revolutionary 
war — it has also furnished one member of the Executive Coun- 
cil, and one Speaker of the House of Representatives of this 
Commonwealth — one Judge of Probate, and two Judges of the 
Court of Common Pleas for the County of Worcester — one Repre- 
sentative to Congress, and one High Sheriff, for the county aforesaid. 

There are between thirty and lorty buildings in this town in- 
sured by the Worcester Muiual Fire Insurance Company, which is 
attracting the attention of its citizens, in proportion as they regard 
the truth of the old proverb, " that a penny saved is as good as a pen- 
ny earned.^'' There are in this town, five English and West India 
goods stores, five licensed public houses, three Gunsmiths, two 
Tanneries, four Blacksmiths, and a good supply of other mechan- 
ics, two Clergymen, three Physicians, and one gentleman in the 
profession of the Law. 

Great, indeed, has been the emigration from this town for the 
last forty years, yet it has gradually increased in numbers and re- 
spectability, and greatly improved in agriculture and the mechanic 
arts. Its present flourishing condition justifies the expectation, that 
it will go on, •' prospering and to prosper" for years long yet to 
come, and, as we hope and trust, till time shall be no more. 

INDEX TO MR. WARd's HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY. 

Agricultural Society, 6 ; Agriculture, practices in, 6 ; Assabet, River 11; 
Allen, Rev. George, ordained, salary, 22 ; Archibald, Mr. Henry, 23 ; Allen, 
Lewis anecdote of, 31 ; Allen, Wilkes, graduated, 34. 

Boylston, 3, error in plan of, 6; Brooks, Noah, set off, 3 ; Bowman's Island, 
10; Bay berry Island, 10; Brooks, 11; Butnmet Brook, 11; Bridge, Long 
Pond, construction and destruction of, 13; Burying ground, 15; Breck, his 
sermon, 16, letter, 27 ; Barrett, Mr. nomination as minister, 17 ; Bayley, Mr. 
nominated minister, 17 ; Buckminster, Mr. 20 ; Baacroft, Rev. Dr. 20 ; Bap- 
tist society, 22 ; Bullard, Samuel, 26 ; Baldwin, Henry, 26 ; Bragg, Ebenezer, 
account of fire, 27 ; Bragg, Abiel, 27 ; Bragg, Deacon John, 27 ; Bush, Jo- 
tham, 31; Bigelow, Silas graduated, 34 ; Brigham, David graduated, 34. 

Cutler, Ebenezer set off, 3 ; Cultivation, 6 ; Coal, indications 6 ; Clay, 9 ; 
Canal, Blackstone 10 ; Common, 15 ; Cushiag, Mr. nominated minister, set- 
tled, salary, 17 ; Courts, vote in relation to 30 ; Crawford, William, 31 ; 
Cushing, Jacob graduated, 34 ; Cushing, John graduated, 34 ; Crosby, Aaroa 
graduated, 34 ; Crosby, Samuel graduated, 34 ; Crosby, Otis graduated, 34. 

Dam at the outlet of Long Pond, 1 1 ; Delegates to Provincial Coagress, 30 ; 
Deaths for ten years, 33 ; Dodge, Ezekiel graduate, 34; Diseases, 33. 

Eager, Zachariah 3 ; Extent of the town, 15 ; Engines, fire, 29. 

Families, set off, 3 ; Foster, Jonathan set off, 3 ; Face of the town, 6 ; 
Forest trees, 6 ; Fishes, improvement of breeds, 8, 9 ; Flint's pond, 10 ; Fos- 
ter, Rev. Mr. 20; Fund, ministerial, 22 ; Fisk, Benjamin 31. 

Grant, original 1717, 1 ; Grafton, families annexed to, 3 ; Grape Island, 9 ; 
Grass Island, 9, 10 ; Grist mills, 12; Goulding hill, 12 ; Goodrich, Rev. Mr. 
20 ; Goddard, Benjamin, 28 ; Gray, Harrison, 31 ; Garfield, Widow Ruth, 33; 



JUN 13 19Q7 



36 INDEX. 

Goddard, Edwaid, graduated, 34 ; Goddard, Nathau graduated, 34 ; Goddard, 
Calvin graduated, 34. 

Howe, Daniel, 2 ; Harvey, Z. 3 ; Half Moon Pond, 10 ; Highlands, 12 ; 
Howe, Elizabeth 16 ; Houghton, John 16 ; Hills, 12, Maynard, 26 ; Hen- 
shaw. Col. Joseph, 31 ; Heywood, Benjamin, graduated, 34; Hedge, Lemuel, 
graduated, 34 ; Harrington, Jubal, graduated, 35. 

Indians, no disturbances from 1, 2, not mentioned in records, 2 ; Islands 
in Long Pond, 9 ; Ingersoll, Samuel B. 20, ordained, died, 21 ; Insurance, 35. 

Jordan Pond, 11. 

Keyes, Silas, his survey, 4, 5 ; Keyes, John, 2, 26, 27 ; Keyes, Capt. John, 
house burnt, 27, his sons, Solomon, John, Stephen, 27 ; Knowlton, Capt. 
Thomas, 28. 

Lancaster, families annexed to 3 ; Leg, annexed to Lancaster, 3 ; Long 
Pond, «, islands in, 9 ; Little Pine Island, 9 ; Longevity, 33. 

Minerals, 6 ; Manure, increasing, 7 ; Mills, 12 ; Meeting House Hill, 12 ; 
Meeting Houses, 16, 17, 22; Ministers, 17, 18, 20, 21 ; McGregory. Mr. Ell- 
as, 23 ; Maynard's, Daniel, hill, 26 ; Morse, Jonathan, house bujrnt, 28 ; 
Morse, Rev. Ebenezer, 31 ; Mortality, bill of, 33. 

Newton, Obediah set off, 3 : Newton, Edward set off, 3 ; Nurses Corner, 
3 ; Newton, Samuel set off, 3 ; Nurse, William set off, 3 ; Nurse, Joseph, 26 ; 
Newton, Capt. Martin, 28. 

Outlet of Long Pond, 10,11. 

Petition for privileges, 1727, 2; Parish, 3, 17, 21 ; Parish, second 3, 17 ; 
Productions, vegetable, 7 ; I'laister of Paris, 7 ; Ponds, 8 ; Paine, Joshua, set- 
tled, salary, declined, 17 ; Pews, sold, 22 ; Poor, thoughts on the support of, 
25; Paupers, numbers, expense, sale, 24 ; Pounds, situation of, 26; Parker, 
Nehemiah graduated, 34 ; Parker, Frederic graduated, 34; Pratt, William 
graduated, 35 ; Population, 34. 

Quinepoxet river, 3 ; Quinsigamond lake, 8. 

Read, David 3; Ram Island, 9 ; Round Pond, 10 ; Rocky Plain, 12, 16 ; 
Rawsou Hill, 12; Roads, 12, 13, 14 ; Restoration Society, 23; Revolutiona- 
ry History, 29 ; Representatives, instructions to, 30 ; Rice, Elijah. 32. 

Shrewsbury, situation, 1; boundaries, 4^ 5; extent, 2, 3, 15; survey of 
Keyes, 4, 5; leg, 3; shoe, 3; second parish, 3; cultivation, 6; face of the town, 
6; forests, 6; coal, indications of 6; productions, 7; ponds, 8; streams, 11; 
mills, 12; highlands, 12; roads, 12; stages, 15; mee(ing houses, )6, 17,22, 23; 
pews sold, 22; ministers, 17, 18, 20, 21; baptist society, 22; restoration socie- 
ty, 23; schools, 24; poor, 24, 25; pounds, 26; fires, 26, 27, 28, 29; engines, 
29; revolution, 29, 30, 31, 32; peat, 32; part taken by inhabitants in Shay's 
insurrection, 32; revolutionary history, 29, 32; health and mortality, 33; grad- 
uates from colleges, 34; distinguished men, 35; population, S4; insurances, 
35; emigration, 35; manufactories, 35; public houses, 35; stores, 35; mechan- 
ics, 35 ; Shoe, set off, 3 ; Survey of Silas Keyes, 1795, 4 ; Sherman's Island, 
10 ; Shoemake Island, 10 ; Sharp Pine Island, 10 ; Stratton Island, 10 ; Sew- 
alPsPond, 11 ; SewalPs Hill, 12; Sounding Hill, 12 ; Stages, 15 ; Societies, 
religious, 16, 17,22,23; Sumner, Joseph settled, 17, salary. 18, ordained, 
18, notice of his life, 19. anecdote of 19, character, 20, funeral sermon, 20 ; 
.Schools, grant for, districts, 24 ; Stone, Mr. Calvin R. fire, near, 29 ; Shays, 
his opposition, 32 ; Stone, Isaac graduated, 34 ; Stone, Benjamin graduated, 
34 ; Sumner, Samuel graduated, 34. 

Trenches for walls, 7 ; Turnpike, Worcester, 13 ; Turnpike, Holden and 
Rutland, 14 ; Taylor, VVilliam original proprietor, 16. 

Vilas, Mr. Samuel W. 23 ; Votes in relation to the revolutionary con- 
test, 30, 31. 

West Boylston, 22; Ward, Nahum 2 ; Westborough, family annexed, 3; 
Whitney, William set off, 3; Whcelock, Daniel set off, 3 ; Whitney, Eli- 
jah. 3 ; Whipple, Rev. Edward, installed, character, died, 21 ; Wood, Rev. 
Jacob 23 ; Wheelock, Gershom house burnt, 26 ; Whitney's history, quot- 
ed, 27 ; Ward, Artemas Gen. 34 ; Ward, Artemas, Judge, 34 ; Ward, Andrew 
H. graduated, 34; Ward, Henry D. graduated, 34; Wilson, A^aviah graduat- 
ed, 35. 



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